LP 13/Invisible: Please return, there's stuff to see!

[mama cass]

In noting the questionable business sense of captivating a massive audience without providing anything remotely definite on album/tour dates, I get the feeling that the band committed to a commercial some time ago with the expectation that they would have an album to follow in short order. The album drifted, but the commitment stood.

Also, for all intents and purposes, "Invisible" is the lead single. It's the first song actually released, and it will handily receive the most attention of any song on the album (and influence the most opinions), lest the band find another pseudo-captive audience of millions to hear the "official" lead single.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I'm surprised anybody is actually shocked about this. Myself and a few other posters were mentioning how Bono's hypothetical June date would be the earliest we'd get a new record. The comments of the other members and Danger Mouse should have made it clear that the record was far from finished in their minds.

Given this band's recent track record of walking away from the studio for months at a time, usually being distracted by side projects along with their propensity to over think things (leading to a ton of delays), this news really shouldn't surprise anyone. People just had their rose tinted glasses on and expected an album in the near future due to this Super Bowl commercial, but next time, wait for an actual confirmation.

I agree with the anger, however. It's just fucking stupid that we live in a world where hundreds of indie bands are putting out great albums every year that they recorded in a couple months and this could end up taking U2 nearly six years to produce a record that will surely include some very generic stadium rock tunes. Fucking mind boggling.

 

[last unicorn]

I'm not shocked, there's nothing really new about the story that the album work is "ongoing". It was clear that Bono wouldn't say anything else in an interview. And the Danger Mouse comment also explains why the guy hasn't really been around U2 recently and doesn't want to comment on the album. Whatever, I'm excited about Invisible. If the band decides to release only songs and no album until 2021, I'm fine with it, we can make our own U2 album with the upcoming song releases. And Invisible being on the album, but not being the lead single means that we have new releases from the ominous album coming up. I'm fine with that, it means more new music. I wonder what will happen on the Fallon show.

Now bring on Super Bowl and Invisible.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Good theory. A commercial is not much of a risk compared to booking a full stadium tour before the album is ready.

Yeah, that poster is right on the money. The band were looking ahead to the Super Bowl about four months out and figuring they'd have a record done in the Spring (about six or seven months from this past fall). Of course, it became apparent towards the end of 2013 that they'd be lucky to even make an early summer deadline, thus making the commercial anything but an album promotion.

And now they're going on to Fallon's show, probably having been pre-booked for it months in advance (after all, the Tonight Show takeover has been known for like two years) and they're going to have nothing to do on it except play a months old Oscar tune and/or a song that literally everybody interested will have downloaded two weeks prior. Not to mention the fact that the gig will just eat up another day or two of rehearsal time that will slow down the album process.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

It's also ironic that everybody is so excited for a this new song when...

1) We just got a new song in the fall. Yeah, it wasn't that great (although I quite like the remix), but still, it was a meaningful new track to the band and their first in years.

2) This song, like "Ordinary Love" might not even be an album track (and supposedly won't be). Thus, it's not necessarily any more important than that one (aside from the fact that this one will have a Super Bowl/charity tie-in whereas the other debuted as a 10" single).

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

Man, they REALLY don't care about how long they wait do they? Buzz kill.

 

[asr]

At least the new Broken Bells album will tie me over. U2 is dead! Long live U2! I bet they will even scrap the Danger Mouse sessions and have Clive Davis(Barry Manilow, Celine Dion) producing along with Steve Lillywhite. They are a music equivalent of McDonalds, they want over a billion served.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Fairly sure Boner has mentioned a couple of times that the song's a 'teaser,' 'sneak peek' of the 'album.'

But too bad, the album's not coming out anyway.

 

[mama cass]

I wonder what will happen on the Fallon show.

they will play Vertigo and Desire

 

[morgan1098]

I'm surprised anybody is actually shocked about this. Myself and a few other posters were mentioning how Bono's hypothetical June date would be the earliest we'd get a new record. The comments of the other members and Danger Mouse should have made it clear that the record was far from finished in their minds.

I was one of those skeptical posters. If "Invisible" was the first single from the new album, they would have been marketing it as such. But in reality, there is no album, at least not a finished one. They're still planning on calling in more producers to work on it. Oh, how I wish my skepticism had been misguided. Anyway, don't let Bono's "we hope to have it out by summer" get your hopes up. That's just his way of buying time for a fall--or later--release.

 

[bono_212]

next time, wait for an actual confirmation.

thanks for telling me what to do/feel, Big Guy!

I have been saying October since last fall. I was hopelessly optimistic for June. I let my guard slip, today, because it just seemed like too much for just a charity single. They seemed to have the full hype wagon rolling.

Then they had to go and publish that article the same damn day. Thus, crushed hopes. I'm gonna go ahead and just go back to hating the band, now, if you'd prefer.

Which article?

The one that everyone's been talking, from USA Today:

You'll likely be able to catch U2 at bigger venues, though not necessarily stadiums. "I'd like to play indoors again. Some of the best nights of my life have been at (New York's) Madison Square Garden. Venues that size are in a lot of cities. I think it might be nice."


Bono quips, "I always know that we're getting close to touring time when the missus asks me when we're going out again. I think, should I read something from this question? 'No, not at all — you're great at home.'"

 

[mikal]

When NLOTH came out, my daughter wasn't born yet. When this album comes out, she'll be starting kindergarten.



Sent from my Nexus 5 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[mama cass]

At least the new Broken Bells album will tie me over. U2 is dead! Long live U2! I bet they will even scrap the Danger Mouse sessions and have Clive Davis(Barry Manilow, Celine Dion) producing along with Steve Lillywhite. They are a music equivalent of McDonalds, they want over a billion served.

over-react much?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I wonder what will happen on the Fallon show.

They'll play Invisible and probably Vertigo, they'll all get asked when the album's out and they'll say they're still working on it.

 

[mama cass]

c'mon guys, B-man did say June a few weeks ago - you should know better than to get your hopes up and expect an earlier release... tis U-freaking-2 after all...

the album will come when it's ready, and then we will have years of endless bitching about how they overcooked it

 

[bono_212]

They'll play Invisible and probably Vertigo, they'll all get asked when the album's out and they'll say they're still working on it.

Such a wasted spot for the first episode of a new era. Well, I always hope for The Tonight Show to fail, anyways, so maybe this will set it off on the right foot.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Is The Tonight Show particularly bad or something?

 

[mama cass]

Fairly sure Boner has mentioned a couple of times that the song's a 'teaser,' 'sneak peek' of the 'album.'

But too bad, the album's not coming out anyway.

yep, he said that again, "sneak preview" but that they have another song in mind for the lead single

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

I mean what's the point of making this giant hoopla about this song if there's no album waiting for release? "To remind people we still exist"... really? Because nobody just made a huge deal about how your medicore Mandela song snuffed out a win at the golden globes a couple weeks ago? This band gives everyone constant cock tease reminders that they're still a band. It's so disheartening to still be a loyal fan in this age of the band. It would almost be easier to write them off and enjoy what they've already released rather than torturing ourselves over an album that I'm convinced we won't see until the end of this year... If ever.

 

[bono_212]

Is The Tonight Show particularly bad or something?

I just hate Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon, so we're looking at a few more decades of mediocrity, IMO.

 

[chrissybaby]

So many of us got shouted down about this prospect a few weeks ago. I honestly didn't think that there would be other producers though. I wonder if DM is just genuinely pissed off, not gagged.

 

[Steve_Bono]

I'm surprised anybody is actually shocked about this. Myself and a few other posters were mentioning how Bono's hypothetical June date would be the earliest we'd get a new record. The comments of the other members and Danger Mouse should have made it clear that the record was far from finished in their minds.

Given this band's recent track record of walking away from the studio for months at a time, usually being distracted by side projects along with their propensity to over think things (leading to a ton of delays), this news really shouldn't surprise anyone. People just had their rose tinted glasses on and expected an album in the near future due to this Super Bowl commercial, but next time, wait for an actual confirmation.

I agree with the anger, however. It's just fucking stupid that we live in a world where hundreds of indie bands are putting out great albums every year that they recorded in a couple months and this could end up taking U2 nearly six years to produce a record that will surely include some very generic stadium rock tunes. Fucking mind boggling.

Well, U2 were never an indie band. Plus U2 is a band 36 years into their career. Younger or indie bands may put product out faster because they have to in order to stay alive in the business. I've yet to hear any indie band that even remotely approaches the level of U2.

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

But yet, here we all are, still bitching. Still waiting. Such is the life on blue crack.

 

[mama cass]

So many of us got shouted down about this prospect a few weeks ago. I honestly didn't think that there would be other producers though. I wonder if DM is just genuinely pissed off, not gagged.

i don't know but i thought he seemed a bit down about it actually

 

[mama cass]

But yet, here we all are, still bitching. Still waiting. Such is the life on blue crack.

it's the steady roll-out of everyone's reaction to the news, what with time zones and things - makes this place feel like a never-ending crisis...

 

[Steve_Bono]

Yeah, that poster is right on the money. The band were looking ahead to the Super Bowl about four months out and figuring they'd have a record done in the Spring (about six or seven months from this past fall). Of course, it became apparent towards the end of 2013 that they'd be lucky to even make an early summer deadline, thus making the commercial anything but an album promotion.

And now they're going on to Fallon's show, probably having been pre-booked for it months in advance (after all, the Tonight Show takeover has been known for like two years) and they're going to have nothing to do on it except play a months old Oscar tune and/or a song that literally everybody interested will have downloaded two weeks prior. Not to mention the fact that the gig will just eat up another day or two of rehearsal time that will slow down the album process.

That's right. I forget about Fallon. Ok, just a bump in the road, not a crises. No one will know right?

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Was pretty obvious this was the case when Bono said June, no surprise at all from me

 

[Vlad n U 2]

That's right. I forget about Fallon. Ok, just a bump in the road, not a crises. No one will know right?

Casual fans probably won't be that aware about the constant delays so I don't think their inability to release an album is something that's going to be heavily reported everywhere?

 

[Miringeltje]

to make a deadline

The only reason something is now finished before and being delivered at the Super Bowl is because of $$$$. Since it's money other people promised and spend on it.

The reason why u2 never seem to reach their own album deadline is because of $$$$. u2 have enough of it, so they basically don't need to reach anything anymore.

Makes me wonder if their record label contract mentions anything in terms of # of albums in # of years.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Two more things to think about....

1) The album won't come out until like three months after it's actually finished. Even most indie acts book that far out in advance. Vinyl alone is backed up enough where if you don't schedule pressings until around the release date of the CDs, then you won't have vinyl editions out until about three months later. Between the promotional push, the first single and the pressings of the vinyl/deluxe editions (in particular), the band would need to randomly finish the record by the end of February in order to have it in stores in time for June.

Of course, they could always pull a Beyonce and do a sneak attack right when the record gets finished, but that's too much money to potentially lose due to the lack of physical editions. U2 is still one of the biggest acts in the world and the new album should have no problem clearing 2,000,000 copies worldwide. Therefore, there's a lot of extra revenue to be gained by selling a $15 CD or $20 deluxe CD or $150 super deluxe editions to their fanbase (which is mostly older and into buying physical editions). Otherwise, places like Amazon will surely be selling the record for $5 on sale and that will severely undercut a lot of the profit to be made from the release.

On the other hand, the band might be so sick of the process that they just say fuck it and release it online immediately once they're satisfied with a running order/cover art. After all, they'll easily make more in a week's worth of gigs than they will from the album's entire run.


2) We'd better hope the album doesn't creep into the Fall. If they're looking at finishing it up by September or October, they'll instead sit on it a little longer in order to get in around Thanksgiving for the Christmas sales. The band benefited greatly from two Christmas sales for ATYCLB along with a big Xmas 2004 for HTDAAB (and that album was specifically delayed a bit in order to grab that market). With an audience of millions of older listeners that will purchase extra copies for their kids or nephews, it makes a lot of sense. I personally witnessed a few people in my college get the album as gifts without asking for or even wanting it (while their relatives have also bought their own copies). I don't know why the band would want to effectively sell an extra million copies to be used as doorstops, but it fits in with their "bigger is better" quest...and Bono & Paul McGuinness have both talked of the importance of Christmas sales in the past.

Would be just another nail in the coffin for fans if this happened though. Yet another doctoring and/or delay of the art in an attempt to get casuals to purchase the record while the diehards end up with a release that's less daring and needlessly took longer to come out.